You're mistaken on a great many points

Safraz, you are not only mistaken on many points, but your entire argument is undermined by the teachings of Islam itself. Let's address a few points.

You wrote: "The enemy is not the Islamists" You are right. There is no such word as "Islamist". The word "islamist" would imply anyone who supports Islam. The correct and honest word we need to use is "Muslims". Muslims are adherents of Islam, and Islam itself is the enemy. Therefore, Muslims are the enemy.

Yes, there are exceptions, but wars are fought in broad terms and not defined by exceptions. Again, we did not fight "Imperialistic Japs" or "Nazist Germans" in WWII. We fought Germans and Japanese. Next, you wrote: "The enemy is the subset of Islamists who are totalitarian, anti-pluralistic, and anti-democratic." Wrong again. That's another example of the "Big Lie" method of propaganda...keep repeating a big lie ad it will be believed. I'm not falling for it. The enemy is the violent and expansionist tendencies espoused by Islam itself in its own Koran. That includes all of Islam.

There are a great number of Muslims who are not running around with bombs strapped to their torsos, but they are still supporting Islamic terrorism via political, financial, and demographic support. They are supporting Islamic terror by not reforming their cult of death on a worldwide scale and loudly denouncing and cutting off those among them who actually strap on the suicide vests. Instead, they venerate those barbaric murderers. Therefore, they are also the enemy.

You also wrote: "There is subtanstial minority of Islamists that are pluralistic democrats (including some in the Iranian opposition), who believe strongly that the Sharia should be interpreted in such a way as to allow for freedom of ideas, freedom of religion, democracy, and pluralism." And where, pray tell, does such a society exist in reality? They are indeed a small and almost silent minority. You say: "And these people should be supported, and not lumped together with the totalitarian Islamists."

And I say, these people should stand up and transform their own societies. Why is it America's job to civilize a barbaric death cult, when its own members refuse to do so? That's their burden, not ours. If the pro-Islamic propagandists and apologists truly believe the big lie that it's "just 10% - 15% of Muslims that are the problem", then why aren't the other 85% - 90% majority doing anything to clean up their religion? The only answer I ever hear is that the silent majority is "afraid".

Well, tough! If they don't have the integrity to stand up for their freedom and purge their society of the so-called minority radicals, then they deserve to die along with the actual terrorists. They don't deserve freedom, and Americans should not have to sacrifice her children, her wealth, and her well being to convince the Muslims that they should better themselves.

Next, you present a totally absurd argument: "Chapter 1, Article 3 of the Constitution of Afghanistan (the current constitution mind you) reads: "In Afghanistan, no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam." This is surely an Islamist Constitution, but one that also upholds pluralism, democracy, and freedom of religion."

So you truly believe that Afghanistan is a free country with its Sharia law? Is that why they recently wanted to execute a man for converting to Christianity from Islam and only nullified the death sentence when international condemnation forced them to do so? Had the rest of the world not interfered, that man would have been killed due to the barbaric fanaticism of Islam that does not allow one to change faiths. Women in Afghanistan are still treated like cattle and are being stoned to death for insane "offenses" like not being escorted by a man.

There is nothing to praise in Afghanistan. The fact that its institution of Sharia law has in 2006 allowed women to be stoned to death for silly "offenses" and a man almost executed merely for converting to another religion, then it is a perfect example of why Islam is a pustulent sore on the backside of humanity...a boil sorely in need of lancing.

Next, you claim: "By coloring the current conflict as a war against all Islamists, and not just the totalitarian Islamists, you are repeating one of the tragic mistakes made in fighting the Cold War" And again I say that anyone using phrases such as "Islamists" or "totalitarian Islamists" is engaging in obfuscation of the issue and propaganda. The problem is, was, and always will be inherent in Islam. Unless and until Islam as a whole reforms itself, rejects its basic tenets of violence, and becomes civilized, than all Muslims are the enemy. Differentiating between degrees of radicalism is simply distracting us from the actual issue...that Islam is the enemy.

You also say: "The hundreds of millions of Islamists in the world can surely be turned to democratic ideals and pluralistic values, if they are exposed to the modes of interpreting the Koran that find democracy and pluralism in the Koran." And if so, that's the duty of the so-called "moderate" Muslims all over the world. It's not the rest of the world's problem to fix. If Muslims cannot convert their death cult into a peaceful religion that respects others, then we need to wipe it out, the same way we wiped out other evil ideologies such as Nazism and Communism. If all these mythical "moderate" Muslims have an interest in survival, they should get off their backsides and start doing something besides whining about how they're unfairly portrayed as terrorists.

You also said: "Sure some of them won't be convinced, but those are the ones we are fighting - not the ones who simply want states that in some official way showcases their culture and history." They have those states. Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Kuwait, UAE, Indonesia...how many states do they want to "showcase" their culture and history? Let them all leave the Western countries and go back to where they belong, and support their Islamic theocracies if they love them so much. What do they have to "showcase" anyway? Their history is one of constant warfare, barbarism, rape, pedophilia, torture, intolerance, sexism, racism, violence, and suppression of freedoms and education. A culture of fanaticism, poverty, and despair. That's not something to showcase, it's something to hang your head in shame over!

Finally, you wrote: "This, in the end, is a battle of ideas because as you noted you are dealing with over 1 Billion people and their sacred culture and identity - not simply an ideology." To refer to a death cult that endorses mutilation, torture, pedophilia, rape, wife beating, suppression of women, racism, sexism, beheading, religious intolerance, deception, and slavery as "sacred" is tantamount to profaning every true religion on earth. No other religion endorses such barbarity and inhumanness. If the adherents of that repulsive ideology insist on clinging to such barbarism, then they deserve to be destroyed along with the warped ideology they so love.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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Mark my comment as a response to You're mistaken on a great many points by Noah Wilk

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".